Wednesday 10 August 2016 13:04, UK
It will be virtually impossible for Leicester City to repeat last campaign’s title triumph this season, according to Sky Sports pundit Alan Smith.
Claudio Ranieri's side won the league by 10 points from Arsenal last season, the first time the club had won the Premier League.
However, after a summer that has seen influential midfielder N'Golo Kante join Chelsea and with the Champions League also on their agenda, Smith thinks it will be a massive challenge for Leicester to retain the championship.
"They have let Kante go, but [Riyad] Mahrez is still there, which is a plus point," Smith told Sky Sports. "Although who knows what will happen at the end of the transfer window?
"Ranieri knows the score and has been trying to obviously strengthen the squad with the Champions League challenge in mind and to maybe give them a different option of playing with the players they have brought in, rather than just [Danny] Drinkwater to [Jamie] Vardy.
"They have brought in [Ahmed] Musa from Russia as someone to partner Vardy or replace him when he is not available.
"But it was a perfect storm for Leicester last season with everybody playing well, they had very few injuries.
"So I think everybody within that club will recognise that it will be nigh on impossible to get close to what they did last year.
If they can finish in a top-half position, it will have been a great way to follow up that title campaign
"The Champions League involvement will be a new experience for most of them as well, and a lot of clubs and managers find it tough and that is why you need a big squad."
In fact, Smith believes that finishing in the Premier League's top four may be beyond the Foxes this season following the arrival of so many experienced managers in England this summer.
"I think even a top-four finish is ambitious with what has gone on with [Pep] Guardiola, [Jose] Mourinho and [Antonio] Conte," said Smith.
However, Smith - who played for Leicester between 1982 and 1987 - feels the lack of expectation currently surrounding his old club could once again work in their favour as Ranieri looks to establish them as a force in the top flight this season.
And that means a top-half finish would represent a successful campaign for Leicester, according to the former Foxes striker.
"But listen, I think for them there is no pressure on them, it is just a fantastic adventure," he said.
"And nobody is expecting them to pull up major trees are they? So they will go at it with no fear.
"There may come a time in the season when they get a bit stretched in terms of their personnel and when they get injuries and the like.
"But if they can finish in a top-half position, it will have been a great way to follow up that title campaign.
"And it is just about strengthening the club now and establishing themselves as a Premier League club."
